What instrument do you hear?

Listen carefully!
 Timbre
Pronounced “tam-bur”
 Timbre
Pronounced “tam-bur”
The sound of an instrument is its timbre.
The timbre of something is what makes a
particular sound unique from another
sound.
Example: a guitar has a different timbre than a
piano.
How do instruments make sounds?
“Each instrument has its own special sound, or
timbre. To make a sound on most wind
instruments, the player blows air into the
instrument, causing the air to vibrate. The
string instrument’s sound is made by vibrating
strings.”
The way an instrument makes sound affects its
timbre.
How do instruments make sounds?
Clarinet, oboe, bassoon and saxophone:
Reeds vibrate and create the sound.
Flute:
Air blown through the tone hole vibrates.
Strings:
Vibrate when plucked, strummed, or bowed.
Percussion:
Instruments are struck so they vibrate.
Allegro Molto from Quartet
Listen to this woodwind quartet.
What instruments do you hear?
What instrument is missing?
 Descriptive Words for Timbre

soft hollow thin smooth

liquid sweet rich warm mellow
airy mellow deep dark
full gentle reedy (reed instruments) nasal
harsh brilliant bright rough
brassy (brass instruments) round
fat
Pitch: high, medium high, medium low, low.
Woodwind and Brass
Families
The String Family
 Describe the timbre
Using a piece of paper, write what family the
instrument is in and write a description of
the instrument’s timbre.

http://www.beginband.com/sndclips.shtml
The End